Reviewer's Choice

Synopsis: "Post-Hole Digger" by James Pope is the true story of one Iowa farm boy and how he
was called upon to fulfill responsibilities for things years beyond his age. These responsibilities
are taking place every day on farms across the United States, and being called upon at an early
age, childhood has passed them by. All too often children living on a farm do not have the luxury
of playful activities as they must shoulder the responsibility of fulfilling their family needs.

Critique: An inherently and consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "Post-Hole
Digger" is as entertaining as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. While very highly
recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Post-Hole Digger" is also available in a paperback edition (9781499029208, $15.99) and in a
Kindle format ($3.99).

Synopsis: Ivan M. Illan, a longtime financial advisor to high net worth families, walks you
through ten simple questions to ask your current advisor to determine if he or she should stay on
the job, and so you can hire the best qualified person on the first try. Once you know what type of
responses are best, you'll be able to uncover hidden conflicts of interest; determine what
motivates an advisor; evaluate an advisor's intelligence; and develop a method to evaluate
performance.

While there are many benefits to having an expert manage money, it's essential to pick the right
person to preserve and grow wealth. Get the critical guidance you need in How to Hire (or Fire)
Your Financial Advisor.

Critique: Certified Fund Specialist Ivan Illan shares his wisdom about money management,
specifically in the matter of selecting the right financial advisor for one's needs. The average
reader is likely unaware that some so-called "financial advisors" have strong conflicts of interest
that puts the wealth of those they advise at risk. "The two terms advisor and broker are not
synonymous. An advisor provides advice and is compensated on an ongoing basis related to the
quality of the advice. A broker is compensated based on the sale of a recommended product...
The problem in today's investment-services world is that this difference is poorly disclosed and
little, if any, education is done by the industry or the media." Absolutely anyone considering or
utilizing the services of a financial advisor should read How to Hire (or Fire) Your Financial
Advisor from cover to cover!

The Biography Shelf

Synopsis: "The Awkward Ozarker" is the witty, wise, and heart-warming memoir of Blant Hurt,
a fifty-something flatlander with urban sensibilities, who buys a ratty weekend cabin up in the
dark heart of the Ozark Mountains. His new wife has a passing familiarity with this rugged area,
but still just what are they doing? Their cabin is crudely built and lacks running water and
electricity. Then there's the local land baron who aspires to build a giant sand mine on their
doorstep. Aided by their deep-souled 'true Ozarker' neighbor, they slowly peel back the layers of
what is basically a closed society up in the wilds of Izard County, Arkansas. They attend a
one-room church with its oddball Yankee preacher, take on a magical stray dog that serves as his
ever-eager hiking companion, brush against the local arts and crafts gentry (alas, neither he nor
his wife has any craft-worthy skills, save her fondness for spray-painting), and even join a group
of doomsday preppers. Through it all, they come to relish their new lives in this little lost corner
of the world. Eventually, owing to the ruin of the local land baron, they scheme to amass more
property to pass on to their heirs as a so-called one hundred year legacy, if only they, like so
many other dreamers up in the Ozarks, can pull it off.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and presented, "The Awkward Ozarker" is a consistently
compelling and inherently fascinating read from beginning to end. While very highly
recommended for community library Contemporary American Biography collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "The Awkward Ozarker" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($6.99).

Synopsis: Orphaned at the age of five in a rural Thai village, Lek is thrust into a life-long struggle
to find his place in the world. Alone and impoverished, he treads a precarious path, barely
surviving in the markets of Surin until, at age fifteen, he finds himself brandishing a rifle as a boy
soldier in the Cambodian jungle. Despair leads him to two suicide attempts. He is hell-bent on
succeeding on his third try, but a stranger intervenes and offers him hope. Thus begins Lek's
journey to become Dr. Amporn Wathanavongs, foster father to more than 50,000 Thai children.
Driven to become a reputable member of society, he returns to his boyhood village to study at the
local temple. But when his vows as a monk collide with his desire to learn English and have a
family, he must choose between settling for a safe and predictable life, or risk living as a vagrant
on the streets of Bangkok while searching for a way to make his dream a reality. Through the
generous support of a Jesuit missionary working in Thailand, he achieves his objectives. But
having a family, a formal education, and a respectable job in social work are not enough. He
perseveres and finds his true calling helping others.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and consistently compelling memoir, "The Boy with a
Bamboo Heart: The Story of a Street Orphan Who Built a Children's Charity" is an extraordinary,
inspiring, and true story of a life well lived in "interesting times". While very highly
recommended for community library Biography collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Boy with a Bamboo Heart" is also available in a Kindle edition
($2.99).

Synopsis: Melody Richard was born on the island of Jamaica and then migrated to the United
States, where she has lived for more than thirty years. She loves every moment of her stay in
America and is, in every way, proud to be an American. She loves the outdoors and loves to
cook. Her real enjoyment comes from spending time with her family. She loves their laughter,
most especially her brothers and sisters. Melody is a mother of two boys, and her children mean
the world to her. They are her greatest achievement and her life. She is also a grandmother to
seven-four girls and three boys. "Dancing Love" tells about the struggles of her life and
upbringing, the way that she was brought up.

Now writing as an adult victim of child sexual abuse and a traumatic past that has caused her a
lifetime of health problems, it is Melody's intention that her personal study presented in the pages
Of "Dancing Love" become part of a learning process for others who are facing or going through
what she has experienced first hand. Another purpose in writing "Dancing Love" for Melody was
a kind for a kind of catharsis even though in doing so she had to relive the pain. Here clearly
selfless intention is that "Dancing Love" will help someone in need of faith and strength.

Critique: An inherently and consistently compelling read that is as thoughtful and
thought-provoking as it is insightful and ultimately inspiring, "Dancing Love" is unreservedly
recommended for community, college, and university library American Biography and
Contemporary Social Issues collections in general, and Sexual Abuse Recovery supplemental
studies reading lists in particular. For students and the non-specialist general reader with an
interest in the subject it should be noted that "Dancing Love" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781503591646, $19.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Synopsis: Born into an entertainment family in suburban Los Angeles in the mid-1920s, Gordon
Zahler was a lovable prankster and class clown, exasperating his parents with his endless teenage
feats of derring-do. But Gordon's promising career as a public miscreant went pear-shaped one
day in 1940 when he and his buddies where fooling around in their high school gym with a
spring board. An unsteady jump no the board vaulted Gordon on a deadly trajectory landing him
squarely on his neck, severing his spine. He was 14-years old.

"Strange As It Seems: The Impossible Life of Gordon Zahler", recounts the journey of a former
nobody who defied the odds and biases racked up against him to frolic in Hollywood. Vividly
retold by his nephew, Chip Jacobs, "Strange As It Seems" is so much more than just a biography,
Jacobs' portrait evokes an early Hollywood era where art and fortunes were made by a colorful
set of foreigners, weirdos, obsessives, and freaks. During the 1950s and 1960s, Gordon became a
kingpin in this milieu, as his music/sound effects post-production house scored films for low
budget sci-fi films, genre movies like Sam Fuller's Shock Corridor, Popeye and Bozo the Clown
cartoons, as well as hundreds of other projects. Gordon, best known for his clever soundtrack on
Ed Wood Jr.'s infamous Plan 9 From Outer Space, was always a better story than the scripts he
accentuated.

Eventually wealthy, with a house off the Sunset Strip, a devoted blond trophy wife and raucous,
star-filled parties, Gordon (a 95-pound dynamo) built an existence from scratch that mere
able-bodied mortals could only dream about. How many of them could say Lucille Ball adored
them, or they were partners with Walter Lantz, Woody Woodpecker's cartoonist and producer, or
Ivan Tors, the brains behind Flipper, Gentle Ben and the nature-drama field still so popular
today? Bored confining himself to one area, Gordon tried developing futuristic concepts, from
audible books to talking gas-station pumps. He kept a powerboat for boozy excursions, traveled
from Beirut to Thailand, was thrown out of moving cars, nearly died after being blessed by the
pope and had a Forest Gumpian-knack for being in dangerous places at the wrong time.

Critique: An exceptional account of an exceptional man, "Strange As It Seems: The Impossible
Life of Gordon Zahler" is a deftly crafted, inherently fascinating, thoroughly riveting read from
first page to last. This detailed biography of the life and accomplishments of a 'larger than life'
personality is an informative, astonishing, and occasionally iconoclastic narrative study that will
prove to be an enduringly popular and much appreciated addition to community library American
Biography collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Strange As It Seems" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).

The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Synopsis: Ava James is a fire mystic with the Mystic Investigative Division. As a branch of the
Enclave, a worldwide mystic organization, the MID is feared, respected and reviled. When the
half-charred body of a Mystic is found, the Enclave sends her to investigate the strange death.
Ava finds that all the clues point to the killer being a fire mystic, one of her own. Accused by the
Enclave of working with the killer she must solve the case before a secret buried in her past is
revealed and destroys her world. Can she save herself? Will she find the murderer?

Critique: Exceptionally well written by Orlando Sanchez, "A Dream of Ashes " is a consistently
compelling read that involves mystics, magic, murder, a rogue Mystic, a ruthless killer, and a
dark secret. "A Dream of Ashes" will have special appeal for fans of paranormal mysteries and is
a very highly recommended addition to community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should
be noted for personal reading lists that "A Dream of Ashes" is also available in a Kindle edition
($3.99).

Synopsis: Cupid, the always adored and now restored God of Love has a new look, a new
attitude, and even a steady girlfriend. With his humiliating dethronement and harrowing
banishment behind him (see "God Awful Loser", 9780986320705, $18.99 HC, $3.99 Kindle),
Cupid wants nothing more than to settle in to a comfortable immortality. But someone has
dreamed up a different plan. With a sea god setting the oceans against him, a drama-loving
hanger-on refusing to go away, and the king of the gods ordering Cupid to steal the most
powerful relic ever made by the most cunning god ever angered, Cupid and his leading lady,
Tamara, must join a new cast and crew to face their most challenging mission yet. The stage is
set for an epic performance, but just who is writing this script? And will Cupid and his troupe
figure it out before they lose their minds and quite possibly their lives?

Synopsis: Lucas just wanted to be a normal human being, but normal is highly over-rated. Lucas
Speck had been just some guy who worked at an office supply store and house-sat for his
snowbird parents. He was nobody special. Or that's what he thought before the headaches start
and weird things start to happen to him. When people start chasing him his whole life gets turned
upside down. Bennett Somerset is a dragon shifter, who likes his quiet life in his quiet town. He
isn't looking for complications. He already has a family that defines the words, weird and crazy,
to perfection. Good thing they live in a small town where nothing ever happens. That is until he
smells the most delicious thing in the world and realizes it's his mate. His little witch of a mate
just made things way more complicated.

Critique: Original, entertaining, and a consistently compelling read from beginning to end,
"Leave It All" by the obviously talented author April Kelly launches her 'Saint Lakes' series and
is destined to become a welcome addition to personal and community library Fantasy Fiction
collections. For the personal reading lists of fantasy fans everywhere, it should be noted that
"Leave It All" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Synopsis: We've made our first contact with aliens, and they are us-or, more specifically, our
children! Daniel has been recalled to the Copernicus Space Station more than two years after his
departure. Little does he know that his recall is to regroup his core research team to study and
interact with the greatest advancement in human evolution... Unbeknownst to the billions of
inhabitants of Earth is a growing secret: newborns who have the potential to change the future of
every living being in the solar system! As time progresses, the secret becomes more difficult to
keep, and the safety of the space station children is jeopardized. Will these special children be
allowed enough time to grow and test their burgeoning powers before being snatched up by a
foreign power with a nefarious agenda?

Critique: A deftly written and original science fiction story by Anthony Mayor, "Tomorrows
Child" is very highly recommended for the personal reading lists of science fiction fans and
would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction &
Fantasy collections. It should be noted that "Tomorrows Child" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($5.99).

Synopsis: The end of civilization appears imminent. The Great Deluge has devastated Sumeria,
home of the Anunnaki, and the rumbles of war grow ever louder. Amid the chaos, Anunnaki
princess Celi does what she can to help, working with her grandfather Mica to rebuild Lord
Enki's temple in Eridu until shortly after her Naming Day, when the young woman is approached
by Lord Enki's mate, Ninki. Ninki offers Celi the opportunity to rebuild the village of Arad, west
of the Dead Sea, a request Celi can hardly refuse - even if it means separation from her love, the
handsome shuttle pilot Deem. The assignment also means working with the Beag, a shorter race
Celi intensely distrusts. As Celi labors with the Beag, however, she finds that wariness waning.
Then disaster strikes: a nuclear warhead has wiped out Sodom from existence - and Deem has
disappeared amid rumors he's been ensnared by Inanna, the so-called goddess of war and love.
Celi can only wait and hope the gossip isn't true, and her beloved has survived what may be the
end of her world.

Critique: Set in ancient Sumeria, "Shin'ar, My Love: Love Among the Ruins" is a deftly crafted
and riveting read that showcases author Marty Duncan as an impressively skilled and original
storyteller. All the more impressive when considering that "Shin'ar, My Love: Love Among the
Ruins" is Duncan's debut as a novelist, it is still not all that surprising when considering the he
has taught English and Journalism as part of his academic career. While "Shin'ar, My Love: Love
Among the Ruins" is unreservedly recommended as an enduringly popular addition to
community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
it is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Synopsis: Would you like to leave on a camping trip poor and come back rich? But what if that
meant fighting a vicious huge blue bunny, or a big black bear, or man-eating trees or a
two-headed dragon guarded by giant spiders? That's what happened to Billy on a weekend
camping with his dad and friends. Told by his dad not to cross the creek, Billy does just that
when he hears the call for help from inside a large cave in the side of a cliff. Billy, the good
scout, goes in the cave alone concerned that someone was in trouble. As he moved deeper and
deeper into the cave Billy falls into a vortex that sweeps him into another world.

It is a brilliant but very strange place. It appears to be a one-way trip until he acquires some very
strange and even famous characters as friends starting with a rose that has been calling out for
help because a large bunny has been eating them. Rose informs him that the only person who can
help him get home would be the genie and tells him how to get there. On the way Billy
encounters Hansel and Gretel who accompanies him on his journey. After their near fatal
encounter at the chocolate house of the witch they make it to the genie who informs them that the
only way home is to defeat the Dragon Queen, a two-headed dragon at Flagara's house of Sad
Faces. To return home Billy must grow up fast if he is to survive and conquer the biggest
challenge of his life - if he can. Does he have what it takes?

Critique: The first volume in what promises to be a simply outstanding YA fantasy
action/adventure 'Kingdom of Legends' series by Alan Sproles, "Billy Bedivere in the Quest for
the Dragon Queen" is exceptionally well written, impressively original, consistently compiling,
unfailingly entertaining, and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to school and
community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal
reading lists of all fantasy adventure enthusiasts that "Billy Bedivere in the Quest for the Dragon
Queen" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Synopsis: Collaboratively written by Alan Sproles and Lizanne Southgate, "The Train From
Outer Space" is the story of 12 year old boy and his dog who rescue a tiny alien, Lil Dude, from a
huge living train piloted by a vicious alien, Rotaxis. In an attempt to force Brady to hand over the
little alien, Rotaxis accidentally sends Earth through a wormhole, placing it in harm's way. Now,
in addition to protecting the secretive tiny being, Brady and his friends must figure out how to
return Earth to its proper rotation before the planet is destroyed. When Lil Dude tells Brady
where to find a wormhole reverser, Brady and best friend, Franky commandeer Rotaxis' living
space ship and head for space to fight off alien monsters and bond with strange and wonderful
creatures.

However, just as Brady finds the wormhole reverser, he discovers he's only the pawn in an
intergalactic game and none of the players are on his side. Now, with more enemies to face and
no one left to trust, Brady and Franky must fight to make it back to earth. They reach home,
where Earth is only minutes from disaster. There, Brady and friends defeat the last of the
monsters, reveal the startling true identity of Rotaxis and, with seconds left for humanity, save
the planet from extinction, thereby winning the game. And somewhere, far, far away, the Game
Master applauds and begins to plan the next challenge.

Critique: A deftly crafted and riveting read from beginning to end, "The Train From Outer
Space" is an exceptional and enthusiastically recommended addition to both school and
community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections for young readers. For the personal
reading lists of dedicated science fiction enthusiasts ages 8 to 14, it should be noted that "The
Train From Outer Space" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

Synopsis: 144 Astrological Archetypes that reveal more about you than you knew about yourself.
Secrets of the Combined Astrology is a comprehensive work focusing on the 144 combinations
created when the 12 Chinese signs (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep,
Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar) meet the 12 Western Zodiac signs (Aries, Taurus, Gemini,
Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces). Starting with
the traditional four BAZI pillars i.e. day, month, year and time of birth, this information is
converted into Astrological language the Western world understands, making what is otherwise a
very complicated process easily accessible by the mainstream. Celebrities and public figures are
used as references to illustrate each individual combination.

Critique: Secrets of the Combined Astrology de-mystifies the procedure of melding both Chinese
and Western astrology. Written to be accessible to general readers, particularly those of Western
background, Secrets of the Combined Astrology is a "must-read" for astrology enthusiasts and
anyone curious to learn more about the secrets their birthdate and astrological signs hold. Highly
recommended especially for Metaphysical Studies collections.

The Fiction Shelf

Synopsis: The War of 1812 between the English and the Americans had no clear victor. It was a
conflict that will continually be debated among historians and has been described as the war that
both sides won and the war that nobody won. A Canadian historian suggested that Americans
think that they won the war, that Canadians know that they won the war, and that the British are
blissfully unaware that the conflict took place. It is a complex story. Using the War of 1812 as
the setting for "Backlash", author Mike Klaassen has based his fictional account on non-fictional
facts. The result is a novel that is extremely engaging and with Klaassen's attention to detail and
accurate portrayal of the life and times of that era, "Blacklash" is not only highly entertaining but
also very educational. Readers will enjoy the drama and are sure to learn something new.

Critique: Impressively well written and a compelling read from beginning to end, "Backlash" will
prove to be a very welcome addition to community library Historical Fiction collections. For
personal reading lists it should be noted that "Backlash" is also available in a Kindle edition
($9.99).

Synopsis: As his junior year in high school comes to an end, Gavin Bailey realizes his privileged
world as the most popular kid in school is a lie. To make matters worse his father, feeling his
overly indulged son needs redirection, sends him off for the summer to assist at a camp for
children with special needs. Suddenly forced to dabble in a world less familiar, Gavin's past
catches up with him at Camp Lift Me Up. An event from his sophomore year comes to the
forefront; at the same time, he encounters a strange girl with multi-colored fingernails who
refuses to issue a waiver for his arrogant behavior. Initially convinced he is the only one
suffering, Gavin faces a summer of harsh lessons in reality and eventually determines to make a
difference at school his senior year. With the help of old and new friends, he implements a plan
to stir up the social order, but will they be able to survive the fallout of what they've put into
motion?

Critique: "Life Sliding" is a compelling read from beginning to end and clearly demonstrates
author S. L. Maulden's original and exceptionally gifted storytelling talents. While very highly
recommended for school and community library YA Fiction collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "Life Sliding" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Synopsis: The Studebaker family of Houston, Texas, is settling down for dinner one night when a
young orphan named Wren Rubenstein arrives on their doorstep. Father Jonny realizes she is the
daughter of his late sister Anna Marie, whom their abusive and religiously fanatic father
disowned for an interreligious marriage. Although Jonny disowned his sister in order to protect
himself and his family from his father's wrath, he agrees to take in Wren. This causes both chaos
in the house and each of the Studebakers to reflect on their dark secrets. But Jonny must decide
whether he can and should reveal the biggest secret of all.

Critique: "Heavenly Father: The Saga Of The Studebaker Family" is the epic chronicle of a
complex family's extended crisis that is a consistently compelling story from beginning to end.
An impressively well written and extraordinary read that clearly establishes author H. L. Grey as
an exceptionally gifted novelist able to deftly weave unexpected plot twists and turns into a
riveting and multilayered tale. While very highly recommended for community library General
Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Heavenly Father" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Synopsis: All alone, Joseph Moshev is a seventeen-year-old Russian Jewish immigrant who
came to America in 1903 looking for streets paved with gold. Instead, Joseph finds a hard life
awaits him as he fights to survive and fulfill his ambition of being a somebody. He has been
preceded a decade before by his cousin Naomi Moshev, who is now sixteen in 1903, and who
wants a career in show business. Can these two willful teenagers satisfy their vast ambitions in an
ever-changing America?

Critique: Novelist Mark Carp is a writer of extraordinary talent and "Naomi's 'American' Family"
is his fifth work of fiction following "Abraham: The Last Jew" (9781403391056, $14.95); "The
Extraordinary Times of Ordinary People" (9781425993610, $14.95 PB, $9.99 Kindle); "The End
of Hell" (9781434380531, $14.95 PB, $9.99 Kindle); "Segalvitz" (9781483643298, $29.99 HC,
9781483643281, $19.99 PB, $3.99 Kindle); and "Abel and the Family Cohen" (9781462829606,
$24.99 HC, 9781462829590, $15.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle). A consistently compelling and deeply
engaging read from beginning to end, "Naomi's 'American' Family" is very highly recommended
for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted
that this outstanding novel is also available in a paperback edition (9781503587519, $23.99) and
in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Synopsis: Feisty, tenacious, and adorably flawed, Sugar Brennan is fiercely committed to her
family, her traditional Christian values, and her spotless reputation in her affluent Southern
community. When she discovers her husband Clay has been unfaithful, Sugar is determined to
right the wrongs in her life. Then Clay's former mistress returns to Westfield with devastating
news, posing a heart-wrenching dilemma that challenges Sugar to rethink all she's believed about
faith, family, and the healing power of forgiveness. She's been raised in a preacher's home, taught
to love her enemies. She's got the fish sticker on her car and a collection of good works under her
belt. But to reach out to the woman who nearly destroyed her marriage? Surely God wouldn't ask
her to go that far.

Critique: "Precious in His Sight" is an extraordinary and exceptional novel that will have very
special appeal, especially to all members of the Christian community regardless of their
denominational affiliation. While very highly recommended for community library General
Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Precious in His Sight" is
also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

Synopsis: Long considered a place of mystery, the quaint ancient town of Axum, Ethiopia, is a
mystical and fascinating place, rumored to house the legendary lost Ark of the Covenant. As two
young men travel there on separate pilgrimages, neither has any idea that they will soon find
much more than they ever imagined. As his plane lands in Axum, Garret Holcomb cannot help
but wonder if he is on a true pilgrimage in search of the lost Covenant or to escape from the
emptiness of emotional bankruptcy. His seatmate, Jamaal Abdul Meriweather, wants to be the
next Spike Lee and is heading to Axum, where he hopes to film a documentary about the
Covenant. After the two realize they have much in common, they pair up to help each other with
their missions. But when they eventually meet up with three oracles of an Ethiopian coffeehouse,
the holy men soon help them look inward to reflect about life's most burning issues as well as the
personal challenges each has been afraid to face, ultimately revealing a stunning reality for both.
"Oracles of an Ethiopian Coffeehouse" is poignant tale by Paul T. Sugg about two young men
forced out of their conventional paradigms bravely confront their truths, with help from three
oracles of an Ethiopian coffeehouse.

Critique: With the publication of his novel, "Oracles of an Ethiopian Coffeehouse", author Paul
T. Sugg exhibits a truly impressive talent for original storytelling and an ability to hold his
reader's full and total attention from beginning to end. A consistently compelling novel from
beginning to end, "Oracles of an Ethiopian Coffeehouse" is very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Oracles of an Ethiopian Coffeehouse" is also available in a paperback edition (9781491777152,
$17.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Synopsis: Samuel Grafton-Hall is a man of genius who demands reverence from all. A renowned
architect, his point of view is not universally shared by students, critics, and colleagues - but this
is of little consequence to Grafton-Hall, for he revels in his misanthropy. Immune to the barbs of
the masses, Grafton-Hall also suffers no qualms about his personal peccadilloes and perversions.
An unrepentant womanizer, Grafton-Hall leaves colleagues, friends, and lovers deeply scarred
from having known him. And then there is the murder. The question of guilt is of less
consequence than the question of whether the gift of genius makes one irreproachable.

Critique: A deftly crafted and consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "A Man of
Genius" clearly establishes author Lynn Rosen as an exceptionally original and impressively
gifted novelist. While "A Man of Genius" is enthusiastically recommended for community
library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a Kindle
edition ($7.95).

Synopsis: "Twenty-Four Shadows" by Tanya J. Peterson takes one inside the anguished mind of
Isaac Bittman, who is an average family man experiencing mysterious and progressively violent
mood swings (many of which he cannot remember) that is beginning to unravel the lives of those
closest to him. After a series of bizarre encounters, including losing his job and waking up
half-dead in the wilds of Idaho, Isaac begins treatment at a revolutionary mental health facility,
where the childhood trauma he's repressed for decades leads to revelations that his personality
has splintered into twenty-four shadows, or "alters". "Twenty-Four Shadows" intricately weaves
together Isaac's internal angst and his wife and best friend's struggles to retain both a private and
public semblance of normalcy. Stark and realistically rendered, "Twenty-Four Shadows" delves
into the thought processes and erratic habits of a regular man dealing with life-altering mental
illness, providing an empathetic, insightful glimpse into a misunderstood and often stereotyped
condition.

Critique: Unique and a consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "Twenty-Four
Shadows" clearly establishes author Tanya Peterson as an impressively gifted novelist. While
unreservedly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Twenty-Four Shadows" is also available in a Kindle edition
($9.49).

Synopsis: In 1859, Durksen Hurst, a visionary charlatan on the run, encounters a dozen hungry
slaves stranded in the Mississippi wilds. Led by the deceptively simple-looking Big Josh,
together, they agree to build their own egalitarian plantation, with Hurst acting as figurehead
"master" to hoodwink the town. But wise Big Josh fears that Hurst's grandiose schemes may
doom them all to the hangman's noose. In the town, the reclusive widow, Marie Brussard French,
manipulates the region's bankers and cotton brokers, that is, everyone except her frail, rebellious
heir-apparent, Devereau. Driven by unbearable loneliness to mad acts, Devereau threatens to
expose the family's own tenuous facade, a revelation that if made would prove fatal to the
Frenches. Meanwhile, Antoinette DuVallier, a beautiful, Cassandra-like fugitive from New
Orleans with mysterious ties to the Frenches, arrives on her own desperate mission. Her
overpowering presence detonates long-repressed conflicts, unleashing a devastating upheaval of
fire and blood that tears asunder the once-sleepy hamlet. As the story's tangled webs of deceit
unravel, each startling plot twist and cathartic revelation shines a fresh light on what it means to
be a man, a woman, free or enslaved -- indeed, what it means to be human.

Critique: The debut novel of author Ed Protzel's 'Dark Horse Trilogy' series, "The Lies That
Bind" is a deftly crafted and consistently compelling read from beginning to end. While strongly
recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Lies That Bind" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Synopsis: When Dr. Harry Salinger, a reputable, fifty-eight-year-old New York psychotherapist,
informs his patient Jennifer Slater that she defends against "loving feelings as though they were a
fearful threat," he might as well have been referring to himself. Salinger is still struggling to let
go of his pain after his wife's death from cancer four years ago. But in a flash one day, his
platonic relationship with fellow psychotherapist Amanda Blake becomes a new, uncertain
thing.

As Salinger ponders his nonexistent love life, he helps his patients make sense of their own. He
counsels both Jennifer Slater and Jacques Giraud, who meet and fall in love but remain blissfully
unaware they share the same therapist.

Part drama, part comedy, "Dancing in the Dark" is about taking the risk to love as it explores the
inner lives of its characters, spinning a tale of three flawed and wounded individuals who have
suffered severe loss. Each must overcome grief and the fear of unfathomable loss to fully
embrace life and love again. Theirs are journeys of self-discovery, healing efforts they dare not
avoid.

Critique: Although a work of fiction, author Bob Strauss brings to his debut novel the experience
and expertise of a practicing psychotherapist. The result is a consistently compelling, inherently
riveting, and deftly crafted read from beginning to end. While very highly recommended for
community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Dancing in the Dark" is also available in a paperback edition (9781491709795, $16.95) and in a
Kindle format ($3.99).

Synopsis: All-time golf majors champion Jack Nicklaus challenged first-time major champion
Tiger Woods to a unique round of golf in 1997 to see if Tiger has 'what it takes' to someday
break Jack's record of eighteen major titles. Nicklaus was 57 years old. Woods was 21. No one
else was there.

Critique: Although a work of fiction, author Colin Koenig will keep the riveted attention of any
and all golf enthusiasts to each and every page of his detailed account of an 18-hole round of golf
-- included the what they would talk about and what they would think to themselves.
Unreservedly and enthusiastically for personal reading lists and community library collections, it
should be noted that "Major Wager: The Pure Round of Golf Jack Challenged Tiger To" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($6.50).

The Christian Studies Shelf

Synopsis: In "The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life", Tim Rowe (who hosts a
weekly TV show called "Faith and the Law" on Lesea Channel 40 in Indiana) argues that
Christians today need to recover a truth that has been all but lost to modern-day Christianity. It
has been buried for too long, and it is too valuable to be forgotten. This life-changing truth is that
the heart is the key to everything in the Christian life. The heart is the wellspring of all our
actions, emotions, motives, and character. Everything we are, everything we say, and everything
we do flows directly from the heart. In "The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life",
believers will discover how the heart is central to spiritual growth and how it will help us better
reflect the image of Christ in a fallen world. The heart is the key to our service and obedience to
the Father. The heart is the key to the purity and depth of our worship, praise, and love of God. It
is time the Christian church once again teaches a proper understanding of the heart so that we can
fully embrace and manifest the life of Christ within us.

Critique: Exceptionally well written and presented, as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is
inspired and inspiring, "The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life" is very highly
recommended for church and community library Christian Studies collections. For personal
reading lists it should be noted that "The Heart: The Key to Everything in the Christian Life" is
also available in a paperback edition (9781483447926, $25.08) and in a Kindle format
($7.55).

Synopsis: Crises can prompt questions about mortality, God, purpose, commitment and truth that
can set our heads spinning and our footsteps on rocky and unsettling paths. We might doubt all
that we've known to be true, including who we are and what our place in the world is. "Don't
Panic!: How to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough" by Maureen Pratt (an award-winning
playwright, journalist, patient advocate, and author of the syndicated column "Living Well") is an
immensely comforting book in which she offers antidotes to panic and despair. Using science,
personal experiences and inspiration from the lives of others, Pratt asserts that "the times that try
men's souls" can, in fact, strengthen us. Memories of surviving them can give us greater courage.
And most importantly, they enable us to witness how the Spirit works no matter what might be
falling apart around us.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Don't Panic!: How to Keep
Going When the Going Gets Tough" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary and
content. While very highly recommended for community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Don't Panic!" is also available in an
inexpensive Kindle edition ($0.99) and in an Audio CD format ($32.25).

Synopsis: "And Then...Everything Changed" by Kinnith Holloway is a story of a young boy
growing up in the Bible belt of the South. Kinnith was the last of nine children. His mother
belonged to a Pentecostal Holiness church. His father belonged to a Methodist Church. Some of
his siblings belonged to a Baptist Church. Other siblings belonged to a Holiness Church. His
uncles were ministers and other siblings were gospel singers. When the young man found that
these churches were not the same, but had their own beliefs, he begins to question the truth of
Christianity. "How can all these churches have the same manual (Bible) and somehow be
different?"

"And Then...Everything Changed" is the account of a forty-year journey of his quest to find the
truth. How he grew up in Mississippi to his college days. How his personal study of Christianity
and its denominations cause him to reject the Christian religion. How his studies of world
religions brought him to know Jesus Christ. How his study of the Bible brought him to realize
there were things missing from the Bible. How he developed "The Six Things" that could make
the Bible true. How he seeks the answers to "The Six Things" for twenty years and could not get
an answer. How he found the answers to those six things and then everything changed.

Critique: An inherently fascinating, consistently compelling, reader riveting account of one's
man's life-long search for religious truths, his life's meaning, and the existence of God, "And
Then...Everything Changed" is itself a potentially life-changing read that is unreservedly
recommended to the attention of all members of the Christian community regardless of their
denominational affiliation.

The Self-Help Shelf

Synopsis: If it is true we only have one life to live, then why not live it in a positive, productive
and fulfilled way? In the pages of "The Resume of Life: A Guide to Realizing Your Purpose
Through Spirit, Mind and Body", counselor and motivational trainer Terry J. Walker will teach
you how to do just that! Packed with questions to help you find your own answers, your own
truth, and your own purpose, "The Resume of Life" is an invaluable resource for finally discover
how to release yourself from self-sabotaging behaviors and embrace true love and acceptance
from the inside. Our lives are like puzzles and "The Resume of Life" will help you to put the
pieces of the puzzle together so that you can create a more beautiful, insightful and enlightened
existence.

Critique: Now in an expanded second edition, "The Resume of Life: A Guide to Realizing Your
Purpose Through Spirit, Mind and Body" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, commentary,
content, organization and presentation. As informative and thought-provoking as it is insightful
and inspiring, "The Resume of Life" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and
community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted that "The Resume
of Life" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Synopsis: Strong, independent and recently divorced Marcie Kane is on a much needed vacation
in Tanzania, Africa when her enjoyment of everything the country has to offer is shattered by one
simple question posed by a teenage girl: "When are you taking me to America?" Harmless as it
may seem, Marcie realizes that this question posed to the wrong person could spell disaster for
the girl and her friend. Her fears prove to be well founded. When she inadvertently discovers the
girls are victims of an international human trafficking ring in, of all places, her home state of
Florida, her attempts to help quickly spiral out of control with deadly consequences. Meanwhile,
her much cherished independence is being challenged by a good looking FBI agent who is
working the case.

Critique: Impressively well written and a consistently compelling thriller of a read from
beginning to end, "A Perilous Question" showcases author Barry Finaly's exceptional talents as
an original and gifted storyteller who is able to keep his reader's riveted attention from first page
to last. While very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Perilous Question" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($3.99).

Synopsis: An impulsive act of theft coincides with an inexplicable death in the suburbs of
Chicago. A long drive south to Louisiana follows the trail of an obscure folk singer that had
drowned years ago in trusted waters. Before all the connections between the two deaths can be
revealed, a series of hunches will lead Tom to dark and depressing truths about the nature of
fandom and the fallibility of instincts. In the hunt for answers, Tom rediscovers his own love of
music, his suppressed vulnerability, and the realization that this time around not all his hunches
are good ones. Peter Robertson's "Colorblind" is mystery novel looks at the city of New Orleans
through the eyes of a seasoned tourist and explores music both as a means of salvation and a road
to obsession.

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, replete with unexpected plot twists and surprising turns,
"Colorblind" is a compelling read and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. Unreservedly recommended to the attention of
all dedicated mystery buffs, it should be noted that "Colorblind" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($9.99).

Synopsis: Naim Butler, a rainmaker, has perfected the art of sentencing mitigation, as a partner
with Manhattan power-firm, Baker and Keefe. He's the kind of captivating and accomplished
man that therapists vent too. His bachelorhood is turned upside down when an old flame, Sinia
Love, drops a seventeen-year-old son into his lap forcing him to balance this revelation and his
budding romance with Brandy Scott. Professionally, Naim's assigned to prove a man's innocence
of murder is filthy work itself, but catastrophic when an envious lover of Sinia Love's sets out to
kill him while hiding amongst the glitterati of Manhattan's upper crust.

Critique: An original and consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "First Kill
Wonder" clearly demonstrates author Jerome Brooks' complete mastery of the Romance
Suspense genre. While unreservedly recommended for community library fiction collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "First Kill Wonder" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($2.99).

The Poetry Shelf

What Took You So Long
Neville Johnson
Cool Titles
www.cooltitles.com
9781935270393, $12.95, PB, 200pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Author, songwriter, and attorney Neville L. Johnson has been writing amazing poems
and lyrics for more than two decades. Now it is time to share 167 of these very special words and
rhymes that honor the magic and mystery of romantic love, and then celebrate what happens
when it all goes well in the pages of "What Took You So Long: Poems for People in Love".
These poems were all written for Neville's wife, Cindy, but they apply to everyone who is in a
relationship, everyone who is in love. Each of these funny, sweet, quirky, and heartwarming
poems were written in love, and about love. Don't be surprised about the impact they make,
because love makes life worth living. 'First and Last': I will walk behind you to support you / In
front of you to protect you / And beside you to embrace life together / To be yours truly // I'm in
love for the last time in my life / I'm in love for the first time in my life

Critique: If you only have time in your life for just one book of poetry, or as a librarian if you
only have the budget to add one more book of poetry to your collection, then make it "What
Took You So Long: Poems for People in Love" -- and you'll never regret it.

The Health/Medicine Shelf

Synopsis: Juliana Adams has lived her dream of being a nurse for 50 years. Her stories
comprising the pages of "The Joy of Nursing: Reclaiming Our Nobility" are stunning and
startling; raw and revealing; heart wrenching and heart soaring. In her eye-opening experiences,
she provides a deeper perspective, always looking beyond the diagnosis, because every nurse is
more than just a nurse! The Joy of Nursing: Reclaiming Our Nobility is provocative and riveting
as the stories from new nurse to intuitive experienced nurse unfold. Far more than a memoir it is
a rich journey from novice to expert, a concept with historical roots for all who enter this
profession.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Joy of Nursing: Reclaiming
Our Nobility" is particularly commended to the attention of anyone who is a nurse or exploring
nursing as a career; who is wondering what is true about being a nurse; and is questioning
whether their nursing reality matches the dream of nursing that they once envisioned. While very
highly recommended for community, nursing school, and academic library Health/Medicine
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Joy of Nursing: Reclaiming
Our Nobility" is also available in a paperback edition (9780997200300, $20.00).

The Education Shelf

Never Wear White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit College Tips and Hacks
Stattin Yates
Dream Think Be LLC
www.junglejuiceparty.com
9780997394511, $14.95, PB, 132pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Never Wear White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit College Tips and Hacks"
by Stattin Yates is specifically written for young men and women who are college bound.
Whether staying close to home or venturing out on one's own, going to college is a new and
sometimes scary experience! "Never Wear White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit College
Tips and Hacks" will reduce the anxiety of the unknown and new students to show up prepared
with some advice that will help them in the dorm, in the classroom, in social situations, and in
life! To cite two illustrative examples:

#23 Don't eat loud snacks in class. Being annoying is the quickest way to make enemies.

#39 If cheat sheets are allowed on tests, write small. You can fit far more words on a page when
you type them versus write them, plus, they are way easier to read. If your notes are hand-written,
consider transferring them to a computer.

Of special note is the inclusion of coloring pages for stress relief.

Critique: Practical, real-life based, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Never Wear
White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit College Tips and Hacks" should be considered to
be mandatory reading for graduating high school seniors (or anyone else!) who is college bound.
While very highly recommended for highschool and community library collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that "Never Wear White to a Jungle Juice Party and Other Legit
College Tips and Hacks" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

The Business Shelf

Synopsis: In the next five to ten years, millions of small and mid-size business owners will try to
sell their businesses. But an astonishing 87% of them don't have an exit plan. Specifically written
for business owners needing to make a plan to transfer ownership of their business to someone
else, "Exit Signs: The Expressway to Selling Your Company with Pride and Profit" is a
comprehensive and exceptionally 'user friendly' guide to doing so safely, lawfully, and profitably.
"Exit Signs" is about both the tactics of selling and the transitions of leaving. It provides a
step-by-step map for selling any business in a way that produces the maximum profit. These
steps bring business owners confidence and pride knowing their company will be in solid hands
and they give the sellers of businesses greater serenity about the next chapter in their lives.

Critique: Practical, comprehensive, informed and informative, "Exit Signs: The Expressway to
Selling Your Company with Pride and Profit" should be considered a "must" for anyone business
owner thinking of selling their company or liquidating a company's assets. Simply stated, no
corporate, community, or academic library Business Management instructional reference
collections should be without a copy of "Exit Signs". For personal reading lists it should be noted
that "Exit Signs" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.95).

The International Studies Shelf

Synopsis: In "Let There Be Spring: Trump is Not the Future of Egypt", author, cardiologist, and
academician Lofty Basta deals with such questions as: What happened to the "Arab Spring"?
Was its derailment inevitable? What is the likelihood that Egypt will recover from her recent
travails? Dr. Basta, was born and raised in Egypt and who is now an American citizen has always
kept up with current events in his native country, Dr. Basta began documenting his reflections on
Egypt's uprising and political turmoil in 2011, in the form of over fifty articles which he shared
with opinion makers in America, Canada, Europe, Egypt, and many others connected to social
media. He also conveyed them to Egyptian political leaders, heads of political parties, and
ministers in government. "Let There Be Spring" is a compilation of these articles in their original
form, representing the author's reactions and interpretations of events as they took place.
Understandably, Egypt's citizens are anxious to see the fruits of their uprising, but a new chapter
is being written and the story is by no means complete.

Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, insightful and
impressively reasoned, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Let There Be
Spring: Trump is Not the Future of Egypt" is both a timely and highly recommended addition to
community, college, and university library International Studies reference collections in general,
and Contemporary Egyptian Political Science supplemental studies reading lists it particular. It
should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
"Let There Be Spring" is also available in a paperback edition (9781478768777, $14.95) and in a
Kindle format ($2.99).

The American History Shelf

Synopsis: "Thieves, Rascals & Sore Losers: The Unsettling History of the Dirty Deals that
Helped Settle Nebraska" is about the men and women who settled what was one day to become
the state of Nebraska. They came, from Belgium and New Hampshire, from Ireland, Germany
and Scandinavia, from the Chicago fire, and from the territories: Utah, Wyoming, Kansas, the
Dakotas. Among them were cantankerous folk who brawled with one another about Indians,
about border lines, about slavery, about who was the bigger imbecile. And then they fought the
County Seat Wars in most of the 3,000 new counties. A thousand of those remaining ended up in
south central Nebraska, scrapping about Harlan County and which still to be imagined town
should hold the seat of government.

Critique: An impressively well researched, written, organized and presented regional history,
"Thieves, Rascals & Sore Losers: The Unsettling History of the Dirty Deals that Helped Settle
Nebraska" features a six page Selected Bibliography and a nine page Index. An extraordinary and
consistently compelling read from beginning to end, "Thieves, Rascals & Sore Losers" is history
as it is never taught in a classroom and a very highly recommended addition to community and
academic library American History collections in general, and Nebraskan History supplemental
studies lists in particular. For students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
history of Nebraska, it should be noted that "Thieves, Rascals & Sore Losers" is also available in
a Kindle edition ($4.49).